Saturday afternoon there was a celebration honoring Elinor Blair on her 100th birthday.

It was held in the large hall at St. Andrew’s Village, where she now resides.

When we arrived there were so many people in the lobby it was difficult to make your way through the crowd. And the reception line wound its way from where this elegant lady was seated in the middle of the room, to the entrance of the hall.

What a wonderful tribute to this woman who is a beloved member of the community and remembered by many as a faithful follower of the career of movie idol Jimmy Stewart.

Elinor and her late husband, Hall, would host Jimmy and his wife, Gloria, at their home on North Sixth Street when they came to visit Indiana.

She never missed a Jimmy Stewart Museum event and was well-known by all the museum board members and employees.

I vividly remember one year when she needed a ride to the Harvey Award Dinner being held at the Indiana Country Club.

I told her she would be “my date” for the evening and would pick her up at her home.

Now, to set the scene, I was in a limo, wearing a tux, and the other passenger was Ernie Borgnine, who was being honored that evening.

We pulled up to the house on North Sixth Street and instead of 143, I went to the house next door.

I knocked, a gentleman answered, looked at me in my tux, peered the limo and excitedly asked, “What did I win?”

That was a date to remember and we always had a few chuckles over that one.

Happy 100th to one of the great Indiana ladies of our time.

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Jim and Virginia Bernard of the Homer City area passed along a note from the Pennsylvania Behavioral Health and Aging Coalition on three surveys they are conducting to try to understand the behavioral health needs of older adult veterans and their families.

This information is being collected to inform the state about where older adult veterans and their family member can access health care, the quality of that care and the kinds of condition for which they seek assistance.

The coalition estimates the each survey can be completed in less than five minutes and stress that they are completely confidential.

The survey can be completed by phone (866) 588-0223, ext. 200 or at the following websites: www. research.net/s/oavet or www.research.net/s/famvet .

They stressed that the information gathered will better enable the organization to provide much needed assistance.

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“Where do you turn for help?”

The final meeting of community information sessions to raise awareness of grief services and resources available to adults, children and families in Indiana County will be held Tuesday, July 16, at the Commodore Fire Hall.

Kathleen Abbey-Baker, coordinator of the Children’s Advisory Commission of Indiana County and the Suicide Task Force, is coordinating the informational session providing assistance to anyone who has experienced challenges, grief, or loss.

Panelists are there to answer questions on that particular circumstance and offer general information as well.

Registration is encouraged but not necessary, and the number to call is (724) 910-6042.